Fixture for use in soldering fuse wires to fuse springs



March 27, 1956 J. H. BIEG 2,739,558

FIXTURE FOR USE IN SOLDERING FUSE WIRES T0 FUSE SPRINGS Filed March 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 3

-, r7 INVENTOR. JOHN H.BIEG

ATTY.

FIXTURE FOR USE IN SULDERING FUSE WIRES T FUSE SPRINGS John H. Bieg, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 15, 1952, Serial No. 176,861

3 Claims. (Cl. 113-99) This invention relates to a fixture which is used to hold fuse spring assemblies in the last stage of manufacture preparatory to soldering of fuse wire on each assembly.

It is the object of this invention to hold a number of fuse spring assemblies in such prepared position as to permit rapid stringing of fuse wire and its subsequentsoldering to the assembly.

Such fuse springs are used in large quantities on power panels of various equipment used in telephone art. Their purpose is to protect the equipment from damages that may be sustained because of abnormal flow of electric current within circuits. Another purpose, in case such a fuse opens up because of abnormal flow of current, is to signal the proper personnel on an associated circuit and inform it of the malfunctioning of the apparatus and of the open circuit in which the fuse spring is serially connected. A blown fuse spring is easily detected by visual inspection by the fact that its spring fingers assume an outspread position.

The main feature of the invention lies in the method of stringing fuse wire across a series of fuse wire assemblies in a single operation and then soldering the fuse wire to each assembly.

Another feature is the use of retaining springs to hold securely the assemblies during the above operations, each of the retaining springs serving to hold the ends of two adjacent assemblies.

Other objects and features will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 represents one type of a fuse spring assembly ready for fuse wire stringing and soldering.

Fig. 2 illustrates perspectively the fixture and its components.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the fixture taken along the line AA as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cut-away view across two ejector pins to entire length in a straight line.

233,558 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 slider bars 8 are located within the channel of the channel base. The slider bars have sufficient clearance between themselves and the channel base to permit relatively free movement between themselves and the channel base. Each slider bar 8 has a series of pins 9 located along its At the far right hand end of each slider strip, there is located a dowel pin (not visible) which is secured in the same manner as the pins 9. These dowel pins 71 protrude into a slot 70 located in the bottom of the rotary lever 10 as shownv in Figure 7. The slider bars 8 can be made to move relative to each other in opposite directions by rotating slightly the rotary lever 10 to which a handle may be aifixed for easeof operation. As seen in Figure 2, the rotary lever 10 has grooves axially disposed on the peripheral surface of the cylinder comprising the lever proper, so that a handle, terminating in a proper fitting, may be engaged with the rotary lever for operating purposes.

The vertical walls of the U-shaped channel base 7 possess a series of vertical cuts which extend to the very bottom of the channel base. These cuts form the slots 11 which house within themselves flat retaining springs as shown in Figure 4. The flat retaining spring 40 is U-shaped and is substantially as wide as the wall of the channel base. There is a hole in the bottom of the spring for the purpose of allowing the ejector pin 23 to show their-construction and also the position of the retaining spring.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the fixture and a fuse spring assembly prior to actuation of the fixture.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fixture and fuse spring assembly after the actuation of the fixture and the completion of stringing of fuse wire.

Fig. 7 is a view of the rotary lever looking from the top showing the slot in its bottom which engages with dowel pins mounted on the slider bars.

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a fuse spring assembly just before being placed in the fixture preparatory to soldering fuse wire stretched across the width of the assembly and wrapped around the two cars 1. The ears 1 are situated toward the ends of the contact fingers 2 which are integral to the fuse springs 3. The fuse springs in the strip and are firmly turned into the strip on the opposite side. Insulation strip 4 is made of suitable fiber rest on the base plate 19. The function of the retaining spring is to hold securely the fuse spring assembly after its insertion into the slots. As seen in this view, each retaining spring serves two slots. Also shown in this view, the top surface of the bottom plate 12 is undercut so that the horizontal portion of the U-sh-aped retaining spring will seat itself therein. This bottom plate 12 extends under the entire bottom of the channel base 7 thus supporting all the retaining springs 40.

The movable part of the fixture has a handle 13, Figure 2, set in mounting blocks 14 which are securely fastened to the back plate 15. The front plate 16 has integral to it, two bearings 17, through which pass shafts 18 which are, used as pivot shafts around which the movable part of the fixture operates. The shafts are driven into base plate 19 so that they are securely held to prevent axial and rotational displacements during pivoting operation.

The stationary part of the fixture consists of base plate 19 which has a pair of holes 24 at each end for the purpose of fastening the fixture to a work bench.

Fastened approximately midway to the front plate 16 is a stop plate 20, as shown in Figure 2. The function of the stop plate is to limit the amount of the upward pivot induced by spring 30 as shown in the cross-sectional view of the fixture in Figure 3. In this view, the stop plate 20 limits the upward movement of the movable part point of contact 31.

The slider bars 8, Figure 2, are slidably mounted within the channel of the channel base 7 and are kept therein by means of the cross-plates 21. Anchor plate 22 serves as a mounting plate for the rotary lever 10 restricting the latter only to rotary movements. The aforementioned components may be easily detached preparatory to removal of the slider bars for cleaning purposes.

of the fixture by obtruding on the base plate 19 at the Figure 2 shows the location of a series of ejector pins area-us ejector pins are drilled through both the channel base 7 and the bottom plate 12 so that the lower end of the inserted ejector pin 23 is forced against the top of the base plate 19 whenever the handle is depressed. Another view of the construction and operation ofthe pin may be hadby reference to Figure 3 where a cross-section-view of the fixture reveals the position of the ejector pin 23 ma non operative position. Pressing downward on the handle 13 causes the movable part of the fixture to pivot around shafts 18 and compress the springs 30 whereby the capped heads of the ejector pins 23 are made toemerge through the top.

The entire filtture is made from corrosion resistant-metaL.

to offset deterioration of equipment due to'deleterioussubstances found in soldering fluxes.

Method of operation The operator grasps the fuse spring assembly midway along its length compressing the spring fingers against the insulator'strip and" inserts the fuse springs 3 into the slots alongside of their respective insulator strips as shown in Figure 6'; Motion of the slider bars is'indiifated by'arrotvs' in Figure 5.

The next operation entails the stringing of fuse wire acrossthe assemblies. A special tool is" used for" this purpose. It resembles a lead pencil having the fuse Wire" pass through its center. The wire is wrapped around each ear located onits individual spring finger. The whole series of assemblies are wired together without cutting the fuse Wire. Next, the flux is applied to each ear and then the wire is soldered to it. One assembly thus wired and soldered is shown in Figure 6. After the soldering operation is completed, the operator ship's off the excess" wire located outside of each assembly thus effectively severing the previouslyinter-connected assemblies. Then the operat'or'pushes-downward on thehan'dle 13; Figures, causing the ejector pins 23, as previously described, to force out one end of each assembly thus enabling the" operator to flip" out the assemblies without resorting to forceful picking.

While there has been described what is at resent com is sider'edto he the preferred embodiment of theinvemien it will be understood thatvariousmodifications maybe-made thr'e'irt without departing from the invention;

Having described the invention, what is considered new and is desired to be prot'e'c'tedby Letters Patent is set fOf-fli il'i flli' following claims.

I claim:

l. A fixture for holding a plurality of fuse spring'assemblie's; each assemblypossessing outspread spring members acrosswhic'ha fuse wire is to be strung, said fixture com-' prising a'chan'nel' base including uniformly sp'aced vertical side walls forming a channel and having a series of uniforn'ily' spaced slots which are in registry across the channel and'pass through-the width of said walls, a plurality of spring members, said spring members contained Within said slots, apair' of fiat slider bars lying longitudinally parallel adjacent to each other, slidably fitted and substantially filling said channel, with the bottom of each bat-resting I within said channeha rotary lever slotted at the base along its diameter, a projection near one end of each slider bar,

said projection operatively engaging said slot on opposite sides of the pivot point of said rotary lever, rotation of said rotary lever causing said slot and projections to cooperate to move the slider bars longitudinally and simultaneously in opposite directions after a plurality of fuse spring assemblies have been inserted in the fixture, said movement of said slider bars causing the pins upon said slider bars to press the outspread spring members toward each other thus preparing the assemblies for fuse wire stringing.

2. A fixture for holding a plurality of fuse spring assemblies, each assembly possessing outspreacl spring members across which a fuse wire is to be strung,- said fixture comprising a base-plate to which is pivotally mounted a channel base with a handle attached thereto, said channel base including uniformly spaced vertical side walls forming a channel and having a series of uniformly spaced vertical slots which are in registry across the channel,-. passing through the width of said walls-, a=plu'- ralityof spring; members; each of said spring memberscontained within each piair of said slots, a series of capped ejector pins, said ejector pinsexceeding in length the depth of-the channel base and slidably fitted in: a series of uniformly spaced round holes, said holes adjacent to said slots in one of said vertical walls, said holes projectingthrough the wall and channel base, saidholes counterbored from the top for a depth sulficient to permit the capped ends of the ejector pins to fall into the holes with'their'capped ends below the top surface of said wall andthe otherend projecting below saidchannel base,- a pair of-fiat slider bars slidably fitted inparallel relationship within the channel With the bottom of each bar resting on the bottom surface ofthe channel, eachbar including a plurality of uniformly spaced pins, the spacing oft'he-pins substantially equal to that of the slots in the side walls; said slider barslying longitudinally adjacent to each other within said channel and substantially filling said channel in said channel base, means for confining saidslider bars withinsaid channel consisting of bars bridging, the channel and in slidable contact with the top surface of the slider bars, engaging means,- saidengaging means attached atone end of eachslider bar,-a rotatable shaft camslotted'at its base, said engaging means slidably fitted insaid slot, rotation of said shaft cam causing said engaging means to move the slider bars longitudinally and simultaneously in opposite directions after a plurality of fuse spring assemblies have been inserted in the fixture, said movement of said slider bars causing the pinsupon'said slider bars topress the outspread spring members toward each other thus preparing the assemblies for fuse-wire stringing, downward pressure on said handle, after the requisite operations on the fuse spring assemblies have been completed, depressing said channel base to cause said ejector pins to life one end of said assemblies out of the fixture thus facilitating their removal.

.3-.- A fixture for holding a series of. fuses in position for applying a fusible link thereto, in which the fuses havea pair of mounting projections and a spring on either side thereof normally tensioned to spring, apart and; to which springs the fusible link is to be attached,

saidfixture comprising a pair of parallel railseachhaving a plurality of transverse slots equally spaced along the rail the slots of each rail in register with the slots of the other rail, each slot having means for holding one of the projections of a fuse in place therein when a fuse is mounted onthe fixture with its projections iii-opposite slots thereof, a pair of rods mountedin parallel relation between said rails, means for holding eachrod against any sidewise or rotary motion while pcrmitting-endwise movement thereof, a series of pins extending upward from each rod and spacedapart thereon the same dis tariceasthe slots, one pinon one rod and the corresponding pin on the other red normallystanding outsideofthe spreading springs ofone fuse and means comprisinga rotatable shaft for moving said rods simultaneously inopposite: directions to cause the pins associated with eysesse each fuse in the fixture to move the springs of that fuse together so that the fuse wire may be attached thereto while held in that position, said shaft having a pivot point and means on either side of the pivot point for engaging a projection on both of said rods to cause said simultaneous movement of the rods in opposite directions when the shaft is turned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,251,516 Hardesty Jan. 1, 1918 8 May Mar. 19, 1929 Marsden Aug. 22, 1939 Nesbit Apr. 13, 1943 Watter Feb. 15, 1944 Nachemor July 4, 1944 Clark Mar. 15, 1949 Seder-man July 4, 1950 Kling July 11, 1950 Walker Nov. 6, 1951 

